Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Christian Dogbatse, the Atwima-Mponua District Commander, has warned of swift and firm action to deal with any breaches of the law in the area.

He said they were never going to allow criminals to have their way and make things miserable for the law-abiding.

They were determined to stay ahead of the miscreants and to make them uncomfortable, he added.

He was inaugurating a 38-member neighbourhood watch committee at Addaikrom, a predominantly cocoa farming community in the district.

The committee, made up of volunteers, would complement the crime fight by the police.

They are going to help prevent crime through routine foot patrol at Addaikrom and two other communities, Mmawaninha and Hiamankwa.

ASP Dogbatse asked the committee not to manhandle any suspected criminals but to hand them over to the police for investigation and prosecution.

It should not also be an opportunity for anybody to settle “old scores”.

Nana Kwaku Addai, the chief of Addaikrom, said the inauguration of the committee was a dream come true.

He said he was convinced that the days when thieves broke into cocoa sheds in the night to steal bagged cocoa beans were now effectively over.